May 15, 2007 03:01 ET

Cadence Introduces Industry's First Complete Custom IC Simulation and Verification Solution

Virtuoso Multi-Mode Simulation Solution Enables Fast and Accurate Verification of Designs Across Analog, RF, Custom Digital, Memory and Mixed-Signal Domains

SAN JOSE, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- May 15, 2007 -- Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNS), the leader in global electronic-design innovation, today unveiled Cadence® Virtuoso® Multi-Mode Simulation (release MMSIM 6.2), the electronic design industry's first end-to-end simulation and verification solution for custom IC that uses a common, fully integrated database of netlists and models to simulate analog, RF, memory, and mixed-signal designs and design blocks. This breakthrough allows designers to switch from one simulation engine to another without compatibility issues or interpretation impacts, so consistency, accuracy, and design coverage are improved, while cycle time and risk are reduced. The overall result is lower cost of adoption, support, and ownership, and faster time to market.

Virtuoso Multi-Mode Simulation is tightly integrated with the new Virtuoso custom design environment, enabling a complete design-to-verification methodology. In addition, Virtuoso Multi-Mode Simulation provides an innovative and cost-efficient token-based licensing model that allows designers to optimize their usage of different simulation technologies. This model significantly reduces the adoption and support costs typically associated with using multiple simulation technologies from different vendors.

"IBM Global Engineering Solutions deals with a broad range of designs every day, from high-end foundry devices to memories, SERDES, standard cells, I/Os, cores and microprocessors. We regularly use Virtuoso Spectre Circuit Simulator, Virtuoso Spectre XL for RF design, Virtuoso UltraSim and Virtuoso AMS Designer simulators for circuit simulation, RF analysis, and full chip mixed signal verification," said Mark Merrill, Director of IBM Silicon Solutions Engineering and IP Development. "Cadence Multi-Mode Simulation, based on common technology and infrastructure, has provided our designers with a reliable verification solution improving productivity and reducing support costs."

"National Semiconductor uses the complete Cadence Virtuoso Multi-Mode Simulation components, so we see immediate benefits to having an integrated, easy-to-choose simulation model," said Bill Meier, Senior CAD Manager of National Semiconductor. "This solution has enabled thorough verification throughout the design cycle of our leading edge analog products like power management, data converters, and communications interfaces."

"The ground-breaking Cadence Virtuoso Multi-Mode Simulation enables verification throughout the design cycle, across design teams, and even across device types," said Charlie Giorgetti, corporate vice president of marketing for Virtuoso and Allegro Platforms at Cadence. "Customers demand front-to-back design solutions for advanced design. Virtuoso Multi-Mode Simulation addresses design verification challenges for the entire spectrum of custom IC designs at various design domains while being tightly integrated with the new Virtuoso custom design environment, enabling a complete design-to-verification methodology."

Virtuoso Multi-Mode Simulation Supports Kits

The new Virtuoso Multi-Mode Simulation supports the recently released Cadence AMS Methodology Kit, RF Design Methodology Kit, and Low Power Methodology Kit. All three kits offer advanced methodologies and best practices using, among other things, Cadence Virtuoso Multi-Mode Simulation for verification.

What's New in Virtuoso MMSIM 6.2 -- Tiered Enhancements

Virtuoso MMSIM 6.2 provides a holistic, integrated simulation solution and shared licensing model that better meet diverse customer needs. This solution includes Virtuoso Spectre Circuit Simulator, Virtuoso UltraSim Full Chip Simulator, and Virtuoso AMS Designer. Each of these simulators includes tiered configurations with enhancements tailored to specific levels of design complexity. All are tightly integrated into the Virtuoso Platform Analog Design Environment.

Cadence Virtuoso Spectre Circuit Simulator L

--  Fast, accurate SPICE-level simulation; optimized engine provides up to
    3x performance improvement over traditional SPICE tools
--  Enhanced Monte Carlo analysis reduces simulations by a factor of up to
    10x
    

Virtuoso Spectre Circuit Simulator XL

--  Integrated analog, RF and high-speed IC simulation capabilities
--  Enhanced frequency-domain mutli-rate harmonic balance engine for fast,
    accurate simulation of high dynamic range, weakly non-linear RF circuits
--  Patented time-domain shooting algorithm optimized for highly non-
    linear circuits
--  New flow for analysis of analog noise and jitter analysis in phase-
    locked loops, the root cause of silicon re-spins in many mixed-signal SoC
    designs
    

Virtuoso UltraSim Full-Chip Simulator L

--  Fast, high-capacity, SPICE-accurate transistor-level simulation for
    pre- and post-layout verification at block- and full-chip level for analog,
    mixed-signal, RF, memory and SoC designs
    

Virtuoso UltraSim Full-Chip Simulator XL

--  High-performance digital solver for fast verification of multi-million-
    transistor custom digital designs with up to 10X better performance
--  Easy-to-use flow for electromigration and IR drop analysis supports
    electrical verification of memories and large analog/mixed signal designs
    

Virtuoso AMS Designer

--  Mixed-signal simulation with easy access to Virtuoso Spectre L,
    Virtuoso Spectre XL, Virtuoso UltraSim L and Virtuoso UltraSim XL when
    needed
--  Enhanced mixed-signal RF with integration to Virtuoso Spectre XL
--  Significant performance improvements when used with Virtuoso UltraSim
    XL for SoC verification
    

About Cadence

Cadence enables global electronic-design innovation and plays an essential role in the creation of today's integrated circuits and electronics. Customers use Cadence software and hardware, methodologies, and services to design and verify advanced semiconductors, consumer electronics, networking and telecommunications equipment, and computer systems. Cadence reported 2006 revenues of approximately $1.5 billion, and has approximately 5,200 employees. The company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with sales offices, design centers, and research facilities around the world to serve the global electronics industry. More information about the company, its products, and services is available at www.cadence.com.

Cadence, Spectre, Virtuoso are registered trademarks, and the Cadence logo is a trademark of Cadence Design Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other marks are properties of their respective holders.